Works

Der Ring des Nibelungen A concise overview of Richard Wagner's four-opera Ring cycle: its structure, themes, creation, performance history and influence on music and culture.

Der Rosenkavalier (Richard Strauss) Der Rosenkavalier Der Rosenkavalier, a comic opera in three acts by Richard Strauss with a libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal, set in 18th‑century Vienna; famed for its waltzes, trouser role Octavian…

Derek and Clive (comedy characters) Derek and Clive Derek and Clive were an intentionally obscene, improvised comedy duo created and performed by Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. Known for shock language, outré routines, and controversi…

Derivative work (copyright) Derivative work An explanatory overview of derivative works in copyright: definitions, common examples, legal importance, how they differ from original or public-domain works, and practical consid…

Destiny (2014 video game): overview, design, setting and legacy Destiny (video game) Destiny is a 2014 online first-person shooter by Bungie that blends cooperative and competitive multiplayer in a persistent, science‑fiction open‑world setting across Earth, Moon,…

Destiny Fulfilled — Destiny's Child album Destiny Fulfilled Destiny Fulfilled is the fourth and final studio album by American R&B trio Destiny's Child, released in 2004. It produced hit singles, strong sales, and marked the group's closing…

Destroy All Humans! (2005 video game) A 2005 action-adventure game set in a satirical 1950s America. Players control Crypto‑137, an alien harvesting human DNA in an open-world sandbox with weapons, psychic powers and a…

Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows (D.R.U.G.S.) Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows American post-hardcore band formed in 2010 by Craig Owens. Released a self-titled debut in 2011; known for melodic, emotive post-hardcore and a brief but influential presence in th…

Detective Conan (Case Closed): overview, characters, history and adaptations Detective Conan Long-running Japanese crime manga and anime by Gosho Aoyama about a teenage detective turned child who solves mysteries while pursuing the criminal Black Organization.

Deus Ex — 2000 cyberpunk action RPG and immersive-sim video game Deus Ex (video game) Deus Ex (2000) is a critically acclaimed cyberpunk first-person action-RPG that blends shooting, stealth, role-playing and conspiracy-driven storytelling. It emphasizes player choi…

Devil May Cry — action hack-and-slash video game series Devil May Cry Devil May Cry is an action, hack-and-slash video game series centered on demon-hunter Dante. Known for fast-paced combos, stylish scoring and a mix of melee and firearms, it has in…

Devil May Cry 4 Devil May Cry 4 is a 2008 action-adventure hack-and-slash game that introduced new protagonist Nero, expanded combat mechanics, and marked the series' first release on Xbox 360 alo…

Dexter in the Dark Dexter in the Dark (2007) is the third novel in Jeff Lindsay's Dexter series, following forensic analyst Dexter Morgan as he navigates his double life and the moral code that gover…

Diablo (video game) — overview, gameplay, history and legacy Diablo (video game) Diablo is a dark fantasy action role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment (1997). Known for fast combat, randomized loot and online play, it spawned major sequels, a mobile entry…

Diablo II (action role-playing video game) Diablo II Diablo II is a dark-fantasy action RPG released in 2000 by Blizzard Entertainment; notable for loot-driven progression, skill trees, multiplayer via Battle.net, the Lord of Destruc…

Diamonds (Rihanna song) Diamonds (song) “Diamonds” is a 2012 pop ballad recorded by Rihanna as the lead single from her seventh album Unapologetic. Written by Sia and produced by Stargate and Benny Blanco, it topped the…

Diamonds and Toads — Perrault’s tale of reward and retribution Diamonds and Toads Overview, plot, themes, history, and variants of Charles Perrault’s fairy tale often known as "Diamonds and Toads," a classic example of the ‘kind and unkind girls’ motif.

Diary — personal record, history, forms and uses Diary A diary is a personal record of daily experiences, thoughts and appointments. This article covers its forms, history, notable examples, purposes and modern digital equivalents such…

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (book series) Diary of a Wimpy Kid (series) Popular illustrated children's series by Jeff Kinney, told as a comic-style diary about middle-schooler Greg Heffley; a humor-driven franchise with books, screen adaptations and in…

Dictionary: a reference work defining words, senses, and usage Dictionary A dictionary is a reference that lists words (headwords) with meanings, pronunciations, etymologies and usage notes. It exists in many types — monolingual, bilingual, technical, le…

Die Feen (The Fairies): Wagner’s First Completed Opera Die Feen Die Feen (The Fairies) is Richard Wagner’s first finished opera, a three-act German libretto based on Carlo Gozzi’s tale. Composed in his youth, it foreshadows themes and technique…

Die Frau vom Checkpoint Charlie — film and true story Die Frau vom Checkpoint Charlie Two-part drama (2007) about a woman's escape from East Germany and her six-year fight to reunite with her daughters; based on the real case of Jutta Fleck and first shown on ARTE.

Die Welt: German national daily newspaper Die Welt Die Welt is a major German national daily founded in 1946. Conservative and market-oriented in outlook, it has a long history under the Axel Springer group and a significant print…

Dig Dug (1982 arcade game) Dig Dug Dig Dug is a 1982 arcade action game by Namco in which the player digs tunnels and defeats underground monsters by inflating them or crushing them with rocks. It inspired ports, se…

Digimon — The multimedia franchise of digital monsters Digimon Digimon is a Japanese multimedia franchise featuring virtual creatures that evolve and partner with humans across anime, games, toys, manga and collectible cards since the late 199…

Dinosaur Comics (webcomic by Ryan North) Dinosaur Comics Dinosaur Comics is a long‑running webcomic by Ryan North that reuses the same artwork in every strip while changing the dialogue. It blends philosophy, wordplay and absurdist humor…

Dion chante Plamondon Dion chante Plamondon is a French-language studio album by Celine Dion that interprets the songs of Quebec lyricist Luc Plamondon. Released in 1991, it presents theatrical, dramati…

Dirt (album) — Alice in Chains' 1992 landmark record Dirt (album) Dirt is the second studio album by Alice in Chains, released in 1992. A dark, influential grunge record, it spawned several hit singles and remains the band's best-selling and most…

Disco (Grace Jones box set) Disco (Grace Jones album) A 2015 box set collecting Grace Jones's first three disco-era albums — Portfolio, Fame and Muse — issued together in their original full-album lengths, recorded with Tom Moulton at…

Discovering the Waterfront (Silverstein album) Discovering the Waterfront Second full-length album by Canadian post-hardcore band Silverstein, released in 2005. Known for its three singles and music videos, it helped broaden the band's audience in the mi…

Discworld — the comic fantasy universe created by Terry Pratchett Discworld Discworld is Terry Pratchett's comic-fantasy series of 41 novels plus short fiction and guides. Set on a flat world atop a giant turtle, it mixes satire, myth, inventive characters…

Divergent (novel) Divergent is Veronica Roth's 2011 young‑adult dystopian debut, the first book of a trilogy about a factionalized society and a young woman whose identity crosses its rigid boundari…

Divine Discontent (album) Divine Discontent Divine Discontent is the fourth studio album by Sixpence None the Richer, released in 2002 on Reprise Records. It marked the band's return with new material after a multi-year gap.

Divine Intervention (Slayer album) Divine Intervention Divine Intervention is Slayer's sixth studio album (1994). A heavy, thematically dark record, it marked Paul Bostaph's debut with the band and reached the top ten on the Billboard…

Diwan (poetry) A diwan is a traditional collected volume of poems—especially in Arabic, Persian, Ottoman Turkish and Urdu—typically gathering a single poet’s lyric work and following classical fo…

DJ Hero (video game) DJ Hero DJ Hero is a 2009 music rhythm game that simulates DJ mixing with a turntable controller, featuring mashups, remixes and genre-spanning tracks. Developed by FreeStyleGames and publ…

Doctor Faustus: Marlowe's Tragical History and Cultural Legacy Doctor Faustus An overview of Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus: plot, themes, sources, textual history, notable lines, and later adaptations including the 1967 film starring Richard Burton.

Doctor Poison (DC Comics) Doctor Poison Doctor Poison is the alias of two DC Comics supervillains—chemists and saboteurs who serve as recurring adversaries of Wonder Woman and members of the Villainy Inc. roster in multi…

Doctor Sivana (comic-book supervillain) Doctor Sivana Doctor Sivana is a long-running comic-book antagonist, a brilliant but twisted inventor who has opposed Captain Marvel/Shazam across decades and media, from Golden Age comics to mo…

Documentary: non-fiction storytelling in film, radio, and media Documentary A documentary is a non-fiction work that records, interprets, or investigates real events, people, or phenomena. It appears in film, television, radio, and digital media and uses m…

Does This Look Infected? — Sum 41 album Does This Look Infected? Second studio album by Canadian punk rock band Sum 41, released November 26, 2002. Noted for a heavier sound, hit singles, distinctive cover art and a controversial explicit-track…

Dofus (MMORPG) Dofus Dofus is a French online role‑playing game by Ankama, noted for its turn‑based tactical combat, vibrant 2D art, class system and a fantasy quest to recover powerful dragon eggs cal…

Dog Day Afternoon 1975 American crime drama directed by Sidney Lumet about a real-life Brooklyn bank robbery; acclaimed for Al Pacino’s performance and Frank Pierson’s Oscar-winning screenplay.

Dogg Food — album by Tha Dogg Pound Dogg Food Dogg Food is the debut studio album by West Coast duo Tha Dogg Pound, released in 1995 on Death Row Records. It features G-funk production, controversial lyrics, and the singles “L…

Domesday Book: England's 1086 survey and its purpose Domesday Book An encyclopedic overview of the Domesday Book: its compilation in 1086, contents, organisation, exclusions, legal and historical importance, and modern use for medieval English lan…

Don Juan (Byron): a satirical epic poem Don Juan (Byron) Don Juan is Lord Byron's long, ironic narrative poem that reverses the legendary seducer into a passive hero. It blends satire, digression, and ottava rima across an unfinished seq…

Don Pasquale — comic opera by Gaetano Donizetti Don Pasquale Don Pasquale is a three-act Italian comic opera by Gaetano Donizetti with a libretto by Giovanni Ruffini, first performed in Paris in 1843. It is a staple of the bel canto comic re…

Don Quixote: Cervantes' Novel of Chivalry, Satire and Modern Narrative Don Quixote A concise encyclopedia article on Miguel de Cervantes' Don Quixote: its plot, characters, themes, publication history, style, and lasting cultural influence.